India, Mumbai,  April 2023: Metropolis Healthcare Limited, India’s leading diagnostic service provider announces the launch of the “NextGen HLA” Typing Test. Powered by the complex molecular technology ‘Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)’. Metropolis’ NextGen HLA Typing is a high-resolution molecular test, which is performed for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) & Solid organ transplantation. This test aids in the identification of a suitable donor for bone marrow, cord blood, or organ transplant by analysing the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes that a person has inherited from the parents.

HLA encodes proteins found on the outer surface of cells that are part of our body’s immune system. The immune system uses HLAs to differentiate self-cells & non-self-cells. The HLA system is activated when the body encounters something foreign, such as transplants, and attempts to reject it leading to graft failure. Prior knowledge of HLA allelic genetic variants is clinically important for matching donor and recipient for Hematopoietic & organ transplantation. HLA allelic information can also be used to predict immune responses to a variety of infectious diseases, and genetic & autoimmune disorders.

The HLA genes determine a person’s unique HLA Type, which is critical for transplant success. The NGS-based HLA Typing test, widely regarded as the gold standard approach, eliminates the ambiguity in HLA Typing and provides the most accurate characterization of Alleles, making it one of the most advanced and reliable tests available in the market.

Metropolis’ NextGen HLA Typing test will greatly benefit doctors, patients, and transplant physicians, as it ensures a higher percentage of HLA matches between donor and recipient, thus increasing the chances of successful transplant outcomes. This will reduce the risk of immune complications such as graft rejection, Graft vs Host Disease (GVHD) and improve the survival rate of patients undergoing HSCT.

Commenting on the launch of the test, Dr. Sushil Shah, Chairman, of Metropolis Healthcare said: “Metropolis Healthcare has established a centre of excellence for all transplant-related diagnostic services, including the most comprehensive array of diagnostic tools, reports with more accurate interpretation, expert laboratory professionals, and subject matter specialists, making Metropolis a one-stop solution for all the transplant-related diagnostic needs. We believe that this test will help doctors find the right donors for their patients, resulting in successful transplants and higher survival rates.”

Dr. Kirti Chadha, Chief Scientific Officer, Metropolis Healthcare Limited said: “The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are the most diverse loci in the human genome. This allelic diversity constitutes one of the major genetic differences between individuals & different ethnic populations. Therefore, the HLA genes are clinically relevant as key determinants of compatibility in organ and bone marrow transplantation. This poses challenges to developing molecular approaches to genotype HLA alleles. With the validation of NGS for HLA genotyping, we now have the ability to better define genes, identify polymorphisms, resolving all ambiguities that have significant clinical impact.”